Chapter 61

chapter

sixty-one

As the yellow cab with Nia inside wove through traffic, Gage’s muscles tensed.

They were wasting time—time they didn’t have.

“Keep an eye on that cab,” he muttered to Austin.

“Sure thing.”

Gage might as well make good use of his time. He glanced at the papers he’d brought with him.

Were the answers in here somewhere?

The last thing Nia had been doing before she walked out was looking at the app and studying the paperwork.

Had she realized something and gone to check it out?

No, she wouldn’t have just left like that.

Then Gage read one line, and his heart sank. “Oh, no.”

“What is it?” Austin asked.

“I think I know what’s going on.”

“Hold that thought.” Austin pointed straight ahead. “ Nia got out, but then she got right back in the same cab with a man.”

Gage recognized the guy from Rob’s apartment.

He leaned forward. “You still need to stay on that cab’s tail.”

“What do you think I am?” The driver shot a look at him in the rearview mirror. “Your personal employee?”

Irritation pinched Gage’s spine. “You know what? Pull over.”

“What?” The driver looked back at him, his eyes widening. “If you think you’re going to ride and run?—”

“Pull over and stop the cab. Now.”

“Okay, fine. Whatever you say.” The driver jerked the wheel to the side and stopped near the curb.

Gage burst from the cab and jerked the driver’s door open. “Scoot over.”

“What?” Fear laced the man’s voice. “You can’t just?—”

Gage pulled out his gun. “Sorry to have to do this, but we need to move a bit faster.”

The guy raised his hands. “I’m not looking for trouble.”

“Perfect. Then scoot over. Now.”

The driver did as he asked.

Gage climbed into the driver’s seat, pulled on his seatbelt, and pressed the accelerator. It was time to utilize his defensive driving skills.

Wasting no time, he steered off the road and onto the sidewalk.

“What are you doing?” The driver muttered curses under his breath. “You’re going to get me fired.”

Drivers around him laid on their horns.

Pedestrians jumped out of his way.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility for whatever happens.” Gage needed to catch up to Nia, and nothing would stop him.

Nia’s cab driver stopped outside an old warehouse, just as the man beside her instructed.

The man with Nia got out and then grabbed her arm.

They walked inside the dark, dank building.

Part of Nia knew she should fight. Try to stop this guy.

But she didn’t.

She couldn’t. Her willpower had left her.

He led her toward a smaller room at the back of the building.

As soon as she walked inside, she saw her sister sitting in an old swivel office chair with her hands tied to the arms.

At once, Nia’s consciousness seemed to return to her body with a jarring force. No longer did Nia feel as if she was watching herself from afar.

Where was she? How had she gotten here?

She blinked as she glanced around.

Then she focused on her sister .

Sophia.

She was here.

Alive.

And bound and gagged.

Nia rushed toward her sister, tears flowing down her face. “Did they hurt you? I’ve been doing everything in my power to get you back.”

Her sister murmured against the rag around her mouth.

Nia started to untie her when another memory hit.

A memory of being in Rob’s apartment.

Of an intruder demanding Rob give him the schematics for his new app.

Of Rob refusing.

Being stabbed.

And then someone turning toward her and demanding her help, her expertise.

Her lungs tightened until she could hardly breathe.

“I hate to break up this happy reunion,” a familiar voice tore her from the memory.

Nia’s breath caught as she turned to confirm who the person was.

It wasn’t Sigmund O’Neill. Perhaps he’d just been planted outside Rob’s place as a distraction. Perhaps he’d been manipulated too.

Because the real guy stood before her now.

With a gun in his hand and determination in his gaze.